He is survived by his four children: Hope Schneider and her husband, John, of Glen Burnie, Md.; Dr. William Presley Keeton III and his wife, Paula, of Fayetteville; Kathryn Stevens and her husband, Mark, of Waldorf, Md.; and retired Lt. Cmdr. John Keeton and his wife, Tina, of Navarre, Fla.

Bill began his military career on Sept. 15, 1941, in the Enlisted Reserve Corps (Inactive), where he served until his release on March 26, 1943. On March 27, 1943, he graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and entered on active duty as an enlisted man until his release on July 28, 1943.

Bill was commissioned on July 29, 1943, as a second lieutenant, Coast Artillery (Anti-Aircraft), Officer Reserve Corps and assigned as an automatic weapons officer. He attended Officer Candidate School run by the Department of the Army at Camp Davis in Holly Ridge. During his first year of commissioned service, there were excess anti-aircraft officers due to the U.S. air superiority; therefore, he attended a special Basic Course designed by Fort Benning to convert anti-aircraft officers to infantry. He remained an infantry officer for the rest of his career. After completion of infantry training, Bill received various duty assignments that consisted of small arms instructor, rifle platoon leader, and company commander. During that time, he was also promoted to first lieutenant and was released from active duty on Sept. 16, 1946, as a captain.

Bill then rejoined the Officers Reserve Corps on Sept. 17, 1946, until his release on March 18, 1948 (Inactive).

Bill joined the North Carolina National Guard on March 19, 1948, as a first lieutenant, infantry. He served in the following various duty assignments: platoon leader; company commander; Battalion S-3; battalion executive officer; assistant G-1; assistant G-3; Officer Candidate School commandant; Support Command commander; and chief of staff, 30th Infantry Division. Bill was assigned as the USPFO for North Carolina on May 14, 1973, and served in that capacity until May 1980. On May 1, 1980, he was assigned as chief of staff, North Carolina Army National Guard.

Bill was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Meritorious Service Medal, World War II Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two Bronze Stars, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, North Carolina Distinguished Service Medal with Bronze Hornets Nest, and Army National Guard Service Ribbon and was inducted into the N.C. Military Academy Hall of Fame in 2005.

The family would like to acknowledge the kindness and friendship of Doris Willis, who was not only a caregiver but also a part of our family, and always will be.

Bill had a great love for his family and good friends, the N.C. National Guard, and his beloved Virginia Tech Hokies. Sadly, his only regret was that Virginia Tech never won the National Championship. Go, Hokies!

Over the years of retirement, there was a parade of dear friends from the N.C. National Guard who remained steadfast in their support of Bill and Vivian. In recent years in particular, retired Col. Kearney Peebles, retired Col. Grif Warthington, and retired Command Sgt. Maj. Steve Blackwood have been available and responsive to every need.

Bill loved the beach, especially Ocean Isle Beach, where the family enjoyed many days fishing, golfing and relaxing over the years. Bill and Vivian were together for 67 years; their love and devotion to one another and to their family set a standard for all of us. It is a great consolation to think of them together again.

A funeral service will be held Friday, Nov. 1, 2013, at 11 a.m. in Ridge Road Baptist Church, 2011 Ridge Road in Raleigh. The family will receive friends one hour prior, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the church fellowship hall. Burial with full military honors will follow the service in Raleigh Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to any charity that best supports and benefits U.S. veterans and their families.

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Saint Mary's Street in Raleigh. Condolences may be made to brownwynne.com.

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